Rappler Newscast | July 04, 2012

Rappler.com

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

An anti-communist partylist representative tells fugitive general Jovito Palparan: stay in hiding. | hilippine basketball player says on Twitter: PBA games are fixed!”

Today on Rappler.

  • An anti-communist party list representative tells fugitive general Jovito Palparan: stay in hiding.
  • The Philippine government uses Facebook photos as proof to fire an employee.
  • A Philippine basketball player says on Twitter: PBA games are fixed.


Story 1: CONGRESSMAN SUPPORTS FUGITIVE GENERAL
Anti-Communist partylist Representative Pastor Alcover Jr supports fugitive general Jovito Palparan, who was charged with the abduction of two University of the Philippines students.
Alcover says it’s better for Palparan to stay in hiding.
He cites the controversial arrest of 43 community medical workers, known as Morong 43, whom the military claims are communist guerrillas.
Justice Secretary Leila De Lima filed cases against the generals who arrested the group.

PASTOR ALCOVER JR: With De Lima there, I don’t think we can expect a fair trial. Pina-release yung Morong 43, fi-nay-lan ng kaso yung mga generals na humuli sa Morong 43. So what can you expect from that? Wala…

He adds, “This government is being influenced by the communists.”
Alcover names political adviser Ronaldo Llamas and National Anti-Poverty Commission chief Joel Rocamora among the so-called communists in government.
Alcover claims the military and the police support Palparan.

Story 2: ARROYO ALLY LISTS AQUINO SHORTCOMINGS
Arroyo ally Quezon Representative Danilo Suarez lists the achievements and failures of President Aquino 3 weeks before the President’s State of the Nation Address.
Suarez says, if not for the President’s honesty, the government would have collapsed long ago.
But the House Minority Leader also calls on President Aquino to stop his supposed persecution of former President Gloria Arroyo and recognize her administration’s contributions to economic growth.
Suarez lists the Aquino Administration’s shortcomings which include cutting off public spending, lack of transparency in its conditional cash transfer program, increasing prices of commodities, perpetuation of corruption despite anti-corruption slogan, growing peace and order problems and the failure of illegal drugs campaign after the Philippines was named one of 3 top Asian countries producing amphetamine-type drugs.
Suarez says the minority will present a “Kontra-SONA” after July 23.

REP. DANILO SUAREZ, HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: “Though I have no iota of doubt on the honesty and sincerity and of the President on his program, it’s not enough. You have to be determined, you have to be sharp, you have to be ruthless both to your enemies and to your friends. Mukhang ‘yun ang weakness ng Pangulo.”

Story 3: DUTCH ACTIVIST MURDER: POLITICAL KILLING OR ROBBERY?
Police and activists clash over the murder of a Dutch missionary shot and killed in Pampanga Tuesday.
Activists say Wilhelm Geertman was killed for helping oppressed farmers in Central Luzon.
Local police say he was killed for money.
Geertman was the executive director of Alay-Bayan Luson Inc, a group helping communities in disaster management.
He was also an anti-mining and environmental activist.
Geertman reportedly assists farmers of Hacienda Luisita, a controversial estate owned by President Benigno Aquino III’s family.
ABI chair Joseph Canlas says reducing the case to a simple robbery may be part of a police cover-up.
But police say they have established only two facts: that Geertman was shot and that he was also robbed.
Initial unverified reports say Geertman was carrying 1.2 million pesos – about 29,000 US dollars – when he was killed.
Police Supt Luisito Magnaye downplays a political motive.
The Dutch Embassy refuses to comment.

Story 4: SPANISH QUEEN’S VISIT CAN BOOST INVESTOR INTEREST IN PH
The five-day visit of Queen Sofia of Spain is expected to boost investor interest in the Philippines.
Philippine-Spanish Business Council chairman Jose Paredes Leviste says the Philippines can absorb Spanish investments seeking new markets abroad.
In a speech during a state dinner for the Queen on Tuesday, President Aquino cites tangible outcomes from the Philippines’ partnership with Spain.

PRES. BENIGNO AQUINO III: We have bilateral trade with Spain, which last year amounted to $329.6 million, making Spain our 31st largest trading partner…Spain’s Official Development Assistance projects throughout the country have helped finance livelihood and housing programs for Filipinos at the grassroots level.

Story 5: MYANMAR OPPOSITION LAWMAKERS MAKE HISTORY
After years under a repressive military junta, Myanmar’s opposition lawmakers take a historic step into parliament.
National League for Democracy members attend the new parliament session to discuss economic reform, foreign investment and violence in Myanmar’s western state.
Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi said Tuesday the NLD will push for greater “transparency”.
Suu Kyi was swept into parliament in April elections that gave the NLD 43 of 44 seats.

Story 6: THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ

At number 2, the spotlight is on Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and his alleged 30 million dollars in offshore accounts.
The allegation raises the issue of tax evasion using offshore banks.
Romney’s campaign says this isn’t the case, but his camp refuses to release tax returns before 2010.

At number 3, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad regrets the shooting of a Turkish military jet and hopes tensions between the two countries won’t escalate into armed conflict. Syrian military shot down the jet on June 22 after it entered Syrian airspace.
Turkey admits the incursion but says the mistake was quickly corrected.

At number 8, More than a million homes in the eastern United States are still without electricity for the 4th consecutive day, following a storm that hit the region.
Authorities struggle to restore power to affected homes.
The National Weather Service issues extreme heat warnings with temperatures forecast to exceed 38 degrees Celsius.
More than 20 people have died because of the extreme weather.

And at number 10, a story to inspire! In January, Rappler multimedia reporter Natashya Gutierrez wrote about how a scholarship to the International School (IS) of Manila helped her get a fully-funded education at Yale University.
Her story inspired 14-year old Romnick Blanco, the son of a Bulacan farmer, to apply and win an IS scholarship.  Dreams do come true!
For the full top 10 visit Rappler.com’s ‘the wRap.’

Story 7: ASIAN PARENTS SPEND BILLIONS FOR PRIVATE TUTORS
Asian parents spend billions of dollars for private tutoring despite doubts over its effectiveness.
An Asian Development Bank study says it’s an expanding business as parents try to give their children the best start in life.
Many Asian parents see extra academic work as a constructive way for children to spend their spare time.
Despite its popularity, tutoring has mixed results.
Its effectiveness depends on the motivations and abilities of both students and tutors.
The study calls for state supervision and a review of Asia’s educational systems.

Story 8: GOV’T OFFICIAL DISMISSED OVER FACEBOOK PHOTOS
Be careful what you post on Facebook.  
A government employee working for the Philippine Information Agency or PIA found out the hard way when the government used a picture he posted on his Facebook account to fire him!
Maynardo Valdez closed the PIA’s Nueva Ecija Information Center for 4 days to attend a high school reunion in Boracay.
He ignored text messages and his bosses’ calls, but he did post a picture to show how much fun he was having on the beach.
PIA Director-General Jose Fabia says using Facebook this way is a “first” for the Philippine government.

Story 9: BARAKO’S ALLADO: ‘PBA GAMES ARE FIXED’
After a 99-93 loss to the Powerade in the Philippines Basketball Association (PBA), Barako Bull center Don Allado vents on Twitter, expressing his disappointment over the league.
In a series of tweets, Allado accuses the league of game-fixing, saying while he could accept defeat, he couldn’t take “losing bcoz (sic) of referees.”
PBA commissioner Chito Salud responds.

CHITO SALUD: “I just want to stress to the fans, these accusations saying that the PBA is rigged, the PBA is fixed, that we control who goes to the semis and to the finals and who becomes the eventual champion… baseless. Unfounded. And certainly could only come from someone who has lost his mind and is clearly a sore loser.”

Don Allado tweets an apology and calls his action an error in judgement.

Story 10: UN EXPERT: AVOID RACISM AT OLYMPICS
A United Nations expert says nations should fight against racism ahead of the Olympics to avoid a repeat of racist attacks at the Euro 2012 football championship.
Football governing body UEFA says it has a zero-tolerance policy towards racism and fined Russia, Spain and Croatia over fans’ racist chants during matches in the Euro 2012 championship.

– Rappler.com

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!